


And Then They Were Five, Part One: Something in the Water

by ReidFan



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-07-29 08:52:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7677994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReidFan/pseuds/ReidFan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>story #5 in my ongoing Spencer Reid/Melissa Martin Reid stories. Spencer and Melissa find out they're expecting. More than you'd expect. The BAU is off to Flint Michigan on a case, and Melissa is deep in planning at home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

And Then They Were Five

 

CM (Reid/OC {MelissaMartinReid})  
#5 in the series  
K+

 

Part One, Something in the Water

 

“Oh my God, we’re gonna need another genius onesie!” was the first thing that came to her mind when they saw the clear image on the ultrasound computer monitor of not one, but two baby Reids.

Spencer was momentarily speechless. The idea of impending fatherhood was already novel to him. He’d married Melissa and become Daddy to Melissa’s Anna only months ago. Several weeks earlier, when Melissa had told him of this pregnancy, he’d become overcome with elation. And now it was plainly obvious that there were two babies, he felt quite simply like the luckiest man alive.

“Oh, crap,” the ultrasound technologist—her nametag said Kristin—exclaimed, startling Spencer and Melissa back to the moment. “Whoa, I’m sorry,” she continued, a worried look on her face. “We’re not allowed to discuss the findings with the patient, the doctor does that. I assumed you already knew you were carrying twins.”

“Well, it would explain why I’m so fat already,” Melissa complained.

“Oh, for Pete’s sakes Melissa, not again,” Spencer shook his head, grinned and leaned down to kiss her, “You. Are. NOT. Fat!”

To Kristin he reassured, “We won’t let Melissa’s doctor think you broke protocol, I mean, it’s obvious there’s two when you look at the monitor.”

“Baby A’s heartbeat,” Kristin said as the sound came through the speaker. She moved the probe across Melissa’s belly to her right side for fifteen seconds; stopped and applied more gel to it then tried again. After another fifteen seconds, Kirstin took the probe and recalibrated it, then tried again. Melissa’s heart was in her throat. She’d been holding Spencer’s hand and was now digging her nails into his palm as her anxiety heightened. Moving left, the rapid thumping was heard again. Spencer looked from Melissa to the monitor. Baby A was moving, the tiny arms swished back and forth and Spencer was convinced he’d just been waved at. Again, the technologist tried the right side of Melissa’s belly and finally she smiled and exhaled the breath she’d been holding.

“And there’s Baby B, looks like he or she might be in behind the sibling,” said Kristin as the second heartbeat finally came through clearly.

Melissa breathed a sigh of relief. Both heartbeats were strong and healthy. Kristin asked if they wanted to know the genders. Melissa and Spencer exchanged a glance, and then he answered:

“I’d rather just know that they’re healthy.”

Smiling, she answered in a positive tone that confirmed this in no uncertain terms, “Well I’m gonna have to leave that for the doctor to discuss with you.”

She left the recording playing for them while she saved a few files and made some notations, and then told them she’d be back momentarily. 

“You can get dressed, Melissa, I’m just gonna go make a copy for you two to take with you,” she closed the examination room door behind her.

“Spence?”

Spencer’s eyes never left the monitor. The movement of the babies fascinated him. He counted fingers and toes—twenty of each—and traced his own index finger along each baby’s spine. He noted eyes, ears, noses and smiled when the recording reached the part where Baby A had waved at him.

“Yeah?” he replied, eyes still on two babies.

“I wanna know.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Know what, Melissa?”

 

Rubbing her tummy, she answered, “Whether there’s a boy or girl or two of something.”

 

Without diverting his gaze, he addressed Melissa, “You know, JJ and Garcia have been bugging me to have a reveal party for our child.”

 

“Oh, Spencer,” Melissa laughed, “Let’s do it. But we could be revealing genders and numbers.”

 

“Okay, Done,” he agreed, stifling a chuckle, “I can’t wait to see their faces.”

 

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Melissa was now only working two days a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Her clients were aware of the changes in her life, and most had adapted their massage therapy needs to accommodate this schedule; others had simply migrated to one of the clinic’s two other massage therapists.

 

Earlier that month, she had discussed at length with Spencer the idea of giving her career up altogether to stay home with Anna and the new baby. He was adamant that the decision was hers to make and that he would support either eventual option. He’d also presented her with a third option: cutting her days at work back to a manageable number and staying at home the remainder. He’d assured her that she didn’t need to work for financial reasons, if that was what was worrying her; but that he completely understood if she wanted resume her career.

 

She’d mulled it over and at that time had decided that Spencer’s added option was actually the one that best suited her needs, her family’s needs. And now, as she sat at her computer composing an email to her out of state sister, she revisited her options. _Two babies_. Plus Anna before and after school. Arranging for transport back and forth. It would all be too much, she thought. Too much in daycare costs. Too much in the way of time management. Too much imposing on Will and JJ. 

 

She could keep her license current and ensure she kept herself up to date with techniques and knowledge and the like. Registered massage therapists were always in demand, she reasoned. She could resume her career in five or six years when the babies were school-aged children. 

 

She rolled her bottom lip in her teeth as she made up her mind. Spencer would agree this was the best plan of action, she felt. His work schedule was the most unpredictable variable in the equation. If she stayed home full time, she reasoned, they would all see more of each other in the long run.

 

She pecked away at the keyboard for several minutes before pushing it aside and picking her up iPhone to call her sister to tell her about her impending aunt-hood. MaryBeth hadn’t seen Anna in a couple of years now but she and Melissa kept in touch voraciously via the Internet.

 

Melissa laughed as she recalled Spencer finally agreeing to a home computer and the Internet when he realised this was how Melissa and the sister-in-law he had yet to meet kept in touch.

 

The Martin sisters spent an hour on the phone as Melissa confided about the expected twins first to MaryBeth. 

 

“We haven’t told anyone, not even Anna, yet. I would’ve waited and told you in person but I think I might have burst having to keep that news in for another month, ” she admitted and heard MaryBeth’s hearty laugh—the Martin family laugh which Melissa shared—on the other end.

 

“So you’re still coming down next month, Mel? Despite being the size of a house?”

 

“Oh, shut UP!” Melissa retorted, laughing. “I’ve gained eleven pounds and two babies!”

 

“Impressive.”

 

“Yeah, well, so different from my first pregnancy. Couldn’t keep anything down for the first month this time and lost nine pounds.”

 

“So, you’re up twenty pounds?” MaryBeth commented.

 

“No, I’m actually only up two. Don’t understand how it’s possible though I’m just four months along and I look seven, I’m up two bra sizes and two cup sizes too.”

 

“Oooh, _jealous,_ ” MaryBeth interrupted, still laughing.

 

“Oh, shut UP!” Melissa laughed again.

 

“How’s that gorgeous man of yours?” MaryBeth asked seriously, only to break into laughter again.

 

“Loving the new bra size,” Melissa teased, “Seriously, he’s been remarkable about everything, M-B.”

 

“Aw,” was all MaryBeth could say to this. There was a momentary silence then MaryBeth asked, “You still coming down to visit next month?”

 

“Oh, hell, yes. Anna’s excited to see her cousins again. And, well, did I mention that Spencer’s a huge fan of The Mouse? He’s planning to take Anna—and your two girls if they’ll go with him—to Disneyworld.”

 

“Oh Mel, they will love that!” MaryBeth enthused.

 

“You and I can have a sisters day!”

 

“I will make spa reservations for us as soon as we’re done talking here!”

 

“In that case, bye, M-B!” Melissa quipped and immediately said, “Just kidding!”

 

“He must be some man, Sissy, if he’s willing to spend the day at the House of Mouse with our three girls.”

 

“He’s just awesome, M-B,” Melissa told her, “Of course, he has great taste in women, doesn’t he?”

 

“Oh, get out of here,” MaryBeth laughed.

 

“Honestly, I am so looking forward to seeing you all. In,” she paused to do the math.

 

MaryBeth answered first, “Five weeks?”

 

“Five weeks, four days and three hours, to be Spencer-specific,” Melissa chuckled. “I’ll email you all our itinerary once I have everything.”

 

She concluded their call, clicked off her phone and set it on the computer desk then whistled.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Muttli came running as he’d quickly learned that Melissa whistling meant ‘Come Here’.  As he came into view she reinforced her command by calling, “Muttli, come here,” which he did immediately. She petted his head, rewarding him with his second favourite phrase, “Good boy!” After putting on her shoes and taking a jacket from the closet, she pulled his leash from the peg it was hanging on and asked Muttli his very favourite question,

 

“Do you wanna go walkies?” 

 

He reacted exactly as she knew he would: tongue lolling, tail wagging and immediately running to the front door where he sat down and waited for her to attach his leash. He sat still until she gave the command, after opening the door, “Let’s go.”

 

They were half way to the park where there was wild space and a ravine that Muttli loved to visit when Melissa realised she’d left her iPhone at home.

 

“Dammit, I hope Spence doesn’t pick the next half hour to call,” she lamented. She and Muttli went for a walk every morning that she wasn’t working. They left after Anna had gone to school. Melissa enjoyed the light exercise and the time to devote to Muttli and his obedience training. No longer the ten pound puppy they’d adopted, Muttli was growing into the full size of a German Shepherd/Rottweiler cross. He weighed more than Anna did now, Melissa was sure. She could no longer pick him up. He loved his Melissa time; he was an able and enthusiastic puppy student and had succeeded in every aspect of his training thus far. Except for the barking, Melissa sighed. No matter how much they tried, Muttli still barked: at the door, at people and cars going by his house, at Spencer coming home from work. But in the park, Muttli was a model puppy. She let him off the leash so he could splash in the creek and chase butterflies and squirrels, a venture in which he was completely unsuccessful. Half an hour later, they went home. There was a courier van in their driveway as they arrived and Muttli strained at the leash, barking crazily and wanting to investigate.

 

“Shush!” she commanded in vain, knowing Muttli was not about to stop. The courier driver walked towards his truck and met up with Melissa and Muttli as they turned into their driveway. Muttli stopped barking and sniffed at the driver’s legs when he hunched down to Muttli’s level. He let the dog sniff his hands and face for a moment then he petted him and told him he was a good dog. Muttli bathed his face with his tongue.

 

“What a good boy you are!” the courier exclaimed. He kept petting the rambunctious pup for a few minutes as Melissa stood beside them fishing her house key out of a pocket.

 

He smiled at the dog and asked Melissa if she was the lady of house. Upon her affirmation, he handed her the box he’d been holding and had her sign for it. Then, with a final pat on the head for Muttli who sat quietly by Melissa’s side, he wished them a good day and left.

 

Muttli pushed past her when Melissa opened the door and headed straight to his food and water bowls in the kitchen. He sat patiently as Melissa put the box down on the little table in the front hallway then proceeded to the kitchen.

 

“Oh, you are such a good boy!” she acknowledged as she handed him a dog biscuit and refilled his water bowl. “But, no, you are not getting another breakfast!” she laughed.

 

She threw a load of laundry in the washing machine then made her way to Anna’s room, intending to tidy up the mess. She was happily surprised to find all the art supplies and books that Anna had been using earlier in the morning were already neatly replaced in drawers or on the bookshelf. 

 

As she walked back down stairs, she heard her phone ringing. She knew by the ringtone it was Spencer calling and hurried to answer it.

 

“Hey, Spence, what’s up?”

 

“Hi Melissa. Just wanted you to know the team’s on the way to Flint, Michigan for a case. And I’m not sure if we’ll be home tonight, but I kinda doubt it. I love you.”

 

“Thanks for letting me know. I love you too; stay safe. I will avoid any and all news reports from Flint, Michigan tonight,” she promised him, half seriously.

 

“Melissa,” he started.

 

“I’m sorry, Spence.”

 

“No, it’s okay, I get it. I just wanna call again tonight while Anna’s still up to say goodnight. I hate when I’m not home to read her story to her at bedtime.”

 

“Do you want me to have her call you?”

 

He considered that for a moment, and then declined, “No, I’ll call before 8.”

 

“Seven-thirty, Spence, it’s a school night.”

 

“Okay then. Seven-thirty it is. I gotta go, Hotch wants us to go over Victimology. Love you.”

 

“Love you too, take care and stay safe.”

 

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	4. Chapter 4

It was Melissa who went to the school to pick up Henry and Anna at the end of class today. She dropped Henry off at home where the LaMontagne nanny was with baby Michael, then she and Anna went home and took Muttli for his evening walk. When they returned, Melissa asked Anna to feed the dog while she made dinner.

 

Anna pouted when she noticed there were only two places set for dinner. Melissa told her that Daddy was away at work. Most times, Anna would be disappointed but not upset. Ever since Spencer’s kidnapping, though, Anna had tended to become distressed about his absence. They hadn’t told her exactly what had happened to him but Anna wasn’t stupid. She knew what stitches and bandages meant. She’d been at the park when Spencer was shot, the day Anna and Melissa had first met him. 

 

Unfortunately, Anna had heard a version of Spencer’s kidnapping from Henry. JJ and Will had been expressing their relief at the safe recovery of Reid and weren’t aware that Henry had overheard their conversation. A conversation in which the words ‘pistol whipped’ and ‘kidnapped’ had been used. It was only when Henry asked JJ a day later what ‘pistol whipping’ meant that she realised he’d heard her conversation with Will.

 

A day later, Anna had come home from Henry’s in tears and it had taken quite some time for Melissa to discover what had so upset Anna. This led to a conversation with JJ and eventually, a discussion between JJ, Will and Henry about eavesdropping and not scaring Anna, or any little kids, with the kind of exaggerated story to which Anna had been subjected. Henry was very sorry; he had no intention of scaring Anna, they’d been talking about Reid’s and JJ’s jobs and he promised never to do that again.

 

“Let’s go to the map,” Melissa told her now, hoping this would make Anna feel better.

 

Shortly after they’d moved into their big new house, Spencer had gone out and bought a large wall map of the USA for Anna. They’d pinned it to the longest wall in her room. Carefully, Spencer had drawn a circle in red marker around Washington, DC. 

 

“This is where we live, Anna. Washington DC. Sometimes we just call it DC.” 

 

Anna nodded. “Red for home.”

 

“Yes,” he agreed.

 

Another circle, in orange, was put around Orlando, Florida, where Anna’s Aunt MaryBeth and her family lived. Anna had asked about Grandma Diana, so Spencer put another orange circle around Las Vegas, Nevada. 

 

“Orange for our family?” Anna had asked and Spencer acknowledged with a nod and a stroke of her hair.

 

“They are far away?” Anna had asked.

 

“How many steps is it from our house to Henry’s, Anna? He’d asked her. She didn’t know, so Spencer had taken her hand and together they’d walked from their own front door eleven houses down the road to the LaMontagne residence. Anna counted one hundred steps and was only two doors from home.

 

“Okay, so that’s one hundred, Start again,” Spencer had encouraged as they continued. Anna counted to one hundred four more times before they got to the house next door to Henry’s and then she started counting again. She was at sixty when they arrived at their destination.

 

“So, Anna, how many times did you count to one hundred?”

 

“Five, daddy.”

 

“Uh huh. Plus this last bit?”

 

“Sixty.”

 

“So it’s five hundred and sixty steps from our house to Henry’s?” Spencer asked.

 

She nodded. “Wow. That’s a lot of steps!”

 

They’d returned home and went back upstairs. “See Washington?”

 

“DC” Anna remembered.

 

“Yes. And see how the dot represents the whole city? It’s so big that the 560 steps you walked from our house to Henry’s wouldn’t even show.”

 

Spencer put one finger on DC and another on Orlando.

 

“That’s pretty far away, isn’t it?” Spencer had asked.

 

Anna nodded, fascinated.

 

“And here’s where my mom lives, compared to us,” pointing out DC and Las Vegas. The map was so large, Reid had to stretch his arms out to their fullest to be able to reach both.

 

“See how much farther away Grandma Diana is from us?”

 

Anna’s mouth made a small o and her eyes grew wide, “That’s far!”

 

“We can’t really even measure it in steps, Anna. But we can compare. It takes about a minute to drive to Henry’s house, right?”

 

“Uh huh,” she nodded.

 

“It would take about twelve and a half hours to drive to Aunt MaryBeth’s. That’s like from when you get up in the morning right until bedtime.”

 

“Wow,” Anna exclaimed. “A whole day!”

 

“And it would be three whole days like that to drive to Grandma Diana’s,” he told her. Anna’s eyes grew wide as she tried to fathom this.

 

He’d given her a green marker and told her they would always know where he was if he went away for work, because he’d tell them and they would add it to the map. 

 

“Now, we’re gonna put green dots on the map every time Daddy has to go away for work, okay?”

 

She nodded her agreement to this plan.

 

“And to start, we’ll put on some of the places I’ve been already, just so you can see how many places I’ve gone to help people.”

 

They’d green circled Boston, New York, Austin and a number of other cities in the USA. They’d circled Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Atlanta, Georgia and Des Plaines, Illinois.

 

After Anna’s upset about Spencer’s kidnapping, she had run upstairs and put a big black X through the Cedar Rapids green dot. Spencer and Melissa decided not to call attention to this. Anna was expressing herself and they both felt she had the right to do so. 

 

Now, Anna and Melissa made their way to Anna’s room where she picked up the green marker. 

 

“Where is Daddy today?” Anna asked.

 

“Flint, Michigan,” Melissa told her. While Anna couldn’t quite read yet, she was learning her letters and knew a lot of them.

 

“M for Michigan,” Melissa directed.

 

“M like Mommy,” Anna noted.

 

Laughing, Melissa agreed with her. Anna found Montana and Minnesota on the map before she finally found Michigan.

 

“It’s the one that looks sort of like a mitten,” Melissa told her, “See?” She moved her hand and fingers into roughly the shape of the state.

 

“Almost right in the middle of the map, Mommy!” Anna pointed out.

 

“Yes, it is. Okay now F for Flint. Somewhere in Michigan is Flint.”

 

“Ffffffffffff” Anna said aloud, “Fffffff” as her fingers traced over several city names in Michigan until she found it. 

 

“Here, Mommy?” she asked, pointing to the F in Flint.

 

“That’s it, Honey.”

 

Anna drew a big green circle around Flint.

 

“How many days is it to drive there, Mommy?” she asked, remembered the talk with her Daddy about distances.

 

“I don’t know, Sweet Pea, but Daddy and the team flew to Flint in the plane. They were needed there quickly.”

 

“Does that mean he’ll be home quickly too, Mommy?”

 

“I hope so, Anna.” 

 

They went downstairs and had their dinner and then Anna had her bath. After she put on her pajamas and arranged her favourite stuffed animals into their places on her bed, she made her way to her little bathroom and brushed her teeth and hair. She heard Melissa calling her.

 

“Brushing my hair Mommy,” she called out the door. Melissa rushed into her room, brandishing her iPhone.

 

“Daddy’s calling Honey,” Melissa took the hairbrush from her, and held her hand, leading her to her bed. Anna climbed into her bed, pulled her favourite stuffed bear, simply named Bear, into her arms and snuggled into her pillow. Melissa put the phone on speaker, and Spencer’s voice came across clearly,

 

“Hey, Anna, I miss you.”

 

“I miss you too, My Daddy!”

 

“I wonder, Anna, is it story time? Would you like me to read you one?”

 

“Oh, yes! Yes please, My Daddy!” Anna was thrilled and sat up immediately. Melissa sat down beside her and brushed her hair.

 

Spencer spent the next ten minutes reading Anna her favourite Mickey and Minnie Mouse story. He recited from memory and Anna followed along with the book in her hands. After he was finished, he blew her a kiss and said good night.

 

“Thank you, My Daddy! Good night I love you!”

 

“I love you too, Honey. Put Mommy back on the phone now, please?”

 

Melissa tapped speaker ‘off’ and told Spencer she’d be right back, then she kissed Anna good night, kissed Bear good night and tucked them in before turning off the light and closing Anna’s door behind her.

 

“Hey, Spence, how was your day?”

 

“Case is progressing. I’m fine. How are my best girls doing?”

 

“I blabbed. I couldn’t hold it in. I had to tell MaryBeth we’re having twins. I’m sorry.”

 

“Sorry? Don’t be sorry, Melissa. She’s your sister. And I know how close you guys are, even if you are hundreds of miles apart.”

 

“Aw, thank you. Anna put the green dot on Flint this evening. Found Michigan and Flint without too much help.”

 

“My little cartographer,” Spencer joked. 

 

“This was such a good idea, Spence. Reading to her even though you’re away. She settled right down, and I know hearing your voice calms her. Makes it more like a regular night when you are here.”

 

“Remind me when I get home, Melissa, to record a couple of stories for her so you’ll have them if I can’t actually call when I’m away cause we’re out on a lead or something.”

 

“Okay. Oh, that reminds me, you got a package today. Courier delivered it.”

 

“All right, thanks. You’re working tomorrow, right?”

 

She was and confirmed that for him. They spoke for a few more minutes after which they exchanged ‘I love you’ and ‘good night.’

 

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	5. Chapter 5

 

“Coroner says the cause of death was drowning, Hotch.” JJ was reporting to her boss over her cell phone. “But the Tox report said there was arsenic poisoning too.”

 

“All four of the victims, JJ?” he asked, touching a key on his phone to make JJ’s call go out on speaker.

 

She confirmed, “Yes, Sir. And two of them have blunt force trauma to the head. Not enough to kill them, but enough to incapacitate them. To facilitate drowning them. I have Garcia pulling surveillance video from around three of the sites—the works department building, the community center and the condo building that three of the four victims lived in. The fourth victim, the daycare operator, was found drowned in the bathtub of the daycare bathroom.”

 

“We need to run checks on everyone who lives in that condo building, the supers, anyone who services that building in any way. HVAC and cable repairmen, telephone linemen, anyone like that.” Hotch began.

 

Reid sat next to Hotch at the round table, deep in thought while listening to their conversation. He sifted through photographs and kept referring to both the map he’d laid out on the table and the iPad he was still getting accustomed to using. Reid sighed, brow furrowed in concentration as the newest files Garcia had uploaded to his tablet opened up for him to peruse.

 

“JJ, does Rossi have any--?” Hotch’s question was interrupted by the very agent he’d just mentioned.

 

“Aaron? The three victims who live in the condo? They’re all employed by the local government in some capacity. One was a Municipal Works department employee, one is—was—the local councilor and one worked for the local community centre.”

 

“There’s our motive, no doubt,” Hotchner surmised. He glanced down at Reid’s work, spread all over the table and watched as the younger man’s mind raced.

 

Suddenly, Reid stood up, “This is about the poisoned water, Hotch.”

 

Hotch looked to Reid for elaboration.

 

“The short version, Hotch. In April of 2014, the city of Flint switched their water supply from treated Lake Huron water from the city of Detroit, to their own supply from the Flint River. There was a series of problems with this supply that ultimately culminated in extremely elevated levels of lead in the drinking water. As many as twelve thousand children were exposed to high levels of lead in the contaminated drinking water, causing a variety of health problems, a possible outbreak of Legionnaire’s Disease and at least ten deaths. The high level of lead is partially attributed to the omission of orthophosphate from the water treatment process. This caused corrosion of the old water mains, which sent lead leaching into the water supply. There have since been multiple charges filed for corruption with officials, and lawsuits pending. Ultimately, the water supply was switched back to Detroit in October of 2015.”

 

“None of the victims work for the water utility,” Hotch mused aloud.

 

“Not directly Hotch, but the councilor and the works department employee could be construed as such, even at arm’s length,” Reid told him.

 

“And the community center employee?” Rossi asked.

 

“He could be too, I suppose. It’s the fourth victim that doesn’t fit this part of the profile, really. A day care operator?” Reid opined.

 

“Rossi and I are on our way to the first scene, the community centre,” JJ intoned.

 

“So we’re looking for someone who’s got it in for the local government over the water crisis. Perhaps they’ve suffered a loss because of it,” Hotchner said.

 

“A revenge killer?” JJ asked.

 

“Or a justice seeker,” Rossi contributed.

 

“All right, let us know what you find out,” Hotch said, then turned his attention to the case files on the table. Reid called Garcia and gave her the parameters for a search he needed her to do.

 

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“Thank you, I will pick it up Friday morning,” Melissa concluded her call and shut off her phone. Her last client of the morning had just left, and she was now throwing herself full force into party arrangements. She and Spencer had decided to finally cave to Garcia’s and JJ’s repeated requests for a Reveal Party for the baby and Melissa’s life for the next few days seemed destined to be about cake and balloons and party favours for the party now planned for that Friday night. She waved good-bye to the office receptionist as she headed out the door to the parking lot.

 

Melissa and Spencer had already decided they were going to tell Anna that she was about to get not just one but two siblings before the party. As she looked in the rear view mirror before pulling out into traffic, she smiled at the memory of Anna’s excitement to the initial news about the coming new baby. The three of them had convened on Anna’s bed just before her bedtime that night. Anna had squealed with delight, and jumped up out of bed, dancing around the bedroom and hugging first her mother and then Spencer before shrieking the good news out to Muttli, who had cowered in a corner at the unfamiliar sounds.

 

“Muttli! Muttli! I’m gonna be a big sister!” she’d proclaimed. She raced over to him and skidded to a stop when she noticed he was sitting stiffly with his ears laid back along his head. “Whooooops, I’m sorry!” she’d immediately lowered her voice and thrown her arms around the dog in a big hug. “We’re gonna have a little baby, Muttli!” she said in loud whisper. The dog had relaxed and started thumping his tail on the floor while licking Anna’s face happily.

 

Melissa pulled into the lot of the medical building, parked her car and then hurried into the Image Services office. Kristin smiled and waved at her from behind the receptionist. She had files in her other hand and was obviously busy with another client as she hurried down the hallway to the examination rooms. The receptionist rose and gave Melissa a large sealed manila envelope addressed to The Reids.

 

“Good luck with the party!” she replied after Melissa had taken the envelope and thanked her. In quick succession, Melissa made stops at the florist, the bakery and finally the party shop before heading over to the school to pick up Henry and Anna. The threesome stopped for milkshakes at a Dairy Queen and then Melissa dropped Henry off at home before returning home. Anna immediately went to let Muttli out of his kennel and out into the backyard while Melissa set about planning dinner.

 

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	6. Chapter 6

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Reid pulled up the surveillance footage from the Works Department. He pointed to a hooded figure, walking into the building through an employee entrance. 

 

“It’s time-stamped five twenty two am, Hotch. The early shift at the Works Department starts at six am. And Evan Jacobs, the Works Department employee who was found dead in an open water tank yesterday worked the morning shift.” 

 

Reid backed up the footage and found Evan Jacobs, entering the building just after five am. 

 

Next he ran the footage from the community centre from the previous day and showed Hotchner the same hooded figure entering the building in the predawn hours before it was open for business.

 

“And the victim?” Hotch asked.

 

“Never appears on the footage. Rossi and JJ are on the way to that scene.” Reid touched the screen of his iPad and called up another video.

 

“And this is the footage from the condo building, Hotch. I’m still going through it.”

“Where the councilor was found?”

 

“Yes. Face down in the facility’s swimming pool.”

 

His cell phone rang and he answered it. He put Garcia on speaker so Hotch could participate in the call too.

 

“Okay my caring crime fighters. I ran the search you asked me too, Reid. I found nineteen people who have children who’ve either died or suffered life altering medical issues as a result of the lead poisoning. I did my searching and my eliminating, you know, those who were out of state or had airtight alibis etc. Is there anything else you can give me to narrow it down?”

 

“Garcia,” Reid sat up straighter in his chair, “can you enhance the video and run facial recognition on the person in the condo building footage at 11 44 pm?” The hooded figure appeared on the screen and waited around, eventually following a resident in through the front door. As they approached the elevator, the hooded figure pulled the hood down off his—her—face, Reid realised. “It’s a woman!”

 

“That helps,” Garcia assured. Tapping away at her computer, she reported back to them, “No match with any known criminal records. But she’s blonde. Or wearing a wig and there are only four women on my list of possibilities.”

 

Reid asked her, “Any of them stand five feet three inches tall or less?”

 

Garcia made a face and asked, “How do you know that, Oh Genius One?”

 

“She stood next to the security height strip marker in the doorway. I need you to zoom in on it to be sure, but it looks like she’s about half way between five feet and five and a half feet tall by the height lines. And she appears to be wearing running shoes.”

 

“That helps. I have two matches. Uploading their photos and addresses to your tablets now. I’ll hit you back if I find anything else.”

 

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“Hey Hotch,” Rossi spoke into his cell phone. He paused while Hotch put him on speaker so Reid could hear too.

 

“The community centre employee, Mark Winston, never went home that night. He was found floating face down in the community centre swimming pool by the maintenance staff upon arrival for their shift in the morning.”

 

“Drowned?” Hotch asked.

 

“Yes,” Rossi confirmed, “But he also had a significant bruise on the back of his head. M-E thinks he was struck by a blunt object and dumped in the pool to drown. And he also had extremely high levels of arsenic poisoning in his system.”

 

“Has the medical examiner been able to determine how the poison was ingested?”

 

“Well there’s the interesting thing, Aaron. According to the M-E, all four of the victims had arsenic poisoning.”

 

“Arsenic is a major component of several forms of rat poisons or other pesticides. Readily available to someone who works in the municipal works department,” Reid observed.

 

Reid’s phone rang, and he clicked it on and immediately added the caller—Garcia—to the conversation already being shared by the four agents.

 

“I’ve found not one, but two connections, Boy Wonder.”

 

“Go ahead, Garcia, you have me, Hotch, JJ and Rossi.”

 

“Oh! A party! Well, apparently a better one than the one attended by three of the four victims yesterday. Seems that Evan Jacobs and the community center employee, Mark Winston were both at an event early yesterday afternoon. I couldn’t find any surveillance tape of the party, but there was a get together in the councilor’s office—the councilor who is victim number three--celebrating the retirements of several staff members.”

 

Hotchner was already making a call as Garcia was speaking. He stepped away from the group and spoke into his cellphone, directing law enforcement to the councilor’s office to retrieve evidence and then rejoined Reid at the table.

 

“And the other thing I found during my digging? Well, one of the two possible women suspects I narrowed it down to earlier? Jenna White. She works at the same daycare center as victim number four.”

 

“You have an address for her?” Hotch inquired.

 

“Uploaded to your phones.”

 

“All right, Rossi, JJ, go see Jenna White. I’ll have local P-D meet you there for backup.”

 

“Oh. Dear.” Garcia’s tone softened as she uncovered more information. “Jenna White’s four-year-old daughter Annabel died last week after slipping into a coma almost a month ago.”

 

“There’s the trigger,” Hotch spoke up.

 

 “She’d been in the hospital for several weeks prior to that, suffering from the side effects of acute lead poisoning. The daycare center she attended, the same one her mother worked at? It’s in an old building, the plumbing dates back to the 1920s. The owner of the daycare, victim number four, Joyce Sutherland, never had anything upgraded. Couldn’t afford it.”

 

“Copy that,” Rossi piped up.

 

“Probably substandard to today’s requirements,” Reid pointed out. “Garcia, are there any more victims of the lead poisoning linked to the daycare centre? Those who got really sick but survived?”

 

“Six children, one other employee. But none have long term issues like Annabel White did.”

 

Reid felt a twinge of empathy thinking of the dead four-year-old. His thoughts were filled momentarily with his own stepchild Anna and his face reflected that concern so much so that Hotchner touched his shoulder.

 

“Reid? Reid, you all right?”

 

He nodded, returning to the job at hand. “Sorry. I was just thinking about Anna. And Annabel White is—was—the same age.”

 

He took a deep breath and was about to speak when Garcia’s voice came over the speaker again.

 

“Okay, this is weird. Jenna White was at the councilor’s party too, Bossman. There’s no indication she was friends with any of the three victims, but she was there.”

 


	7. Chapter 7

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Hotchner answered his phone when it rang and listened for several moments as his caller updated him. He concluded that call then rang Rossi and tapped Reid on the shoulder to make sure he heard what transpired as well.

 

“Local P-D went through the garbage at the councilor’s office and interviewed some staff members there. One of them remembered a woman matching Jenna White’s description bringing cupcakes to the party and that witness is also adamant that both Jacobs and Winston each ate a couple of them because they were decorated in the colours and logo of the Detroit Red Wings and both men were avid fans. There were still a couple of those in the break room refrigerator at the office so they’re at Forensics for testing now. Anyone who ate any of them has been advised to see their doctor immediately.”

 

“She’s not here, Aaron,” Rossi reported from the scene at Jenna White’s residence.

 

Hotchner immediately called Garcia again, this time he asked her to find out where Annabel White was buried. Directing his next comments at Reid and Rossi, he continued,

 

“Dave, you and JJ take your backup and go to the daycare center where she works. Reid and I will go to the cemetery as soon as we—“

 

“Got it, Mon Capitan, address on your phone,” Garcia interrupted him. Reid was already putting his Kevlar on and he and Hotchner hurried out the door with their local law enforcement back up in tow.

 

After a short drive through Flint, they arrived at the cemetery. Hotchner asked the locals to fall back. Reid indicated on a small map where Annabel’s grave was and he and Hotch proceeded on foot down the path towards the site.

 

Ahead of them, sitting in front of a recent grave was a younger blond woman in dark clothes. There was no headstone on the grave, but the Teddy bears and Barbie dolls adorning the spot bore witness that this was the burial site of a young girl. The woman held a small bunch of daisies in one hand, beside her was an empty pill bottle.

 

Reid hung back for a moment as Hotchner approached her, his gun drawn. The younger profiler spoke quietly into his wire, “We need an ambulance here immediately. Suspect a drug overdose in progress.” 

 

“Jenna White, FBI! Please put your hands up where I can see them,” Hotch directed. She turned around to face him, moving her hands up as he’d asked but lost her balance and fell over onto her back. The two profilers could see she was unarmed and rushed to her side. She was visibly disoriented and drifted in and out of consciousness. Hotchner stretched her legs out to make her more comfortable as Reid picked up the pill bottle. He pursed his lips, frowned and whispered ‘sleeping pills’ to Hotchner.

 

“Help is on the way,” Hotchner assured her.

 

“No,” she cried. “I want to go to Annabel.”

 

“She’s here, Jenna. But we need to get you to a hospital.”

 

“Why didn’t they help her? They have to pay. Why did—“ she paused, turning her head to cough and sputter. Reid moved to help her elevate her head and barely winced when she vomited all over his arm.

 

“Sorry,” she said weakly, moving her hand up to his arm and trying to wipe it clean; then shut her eyes and moaned as Reid spoke softly to her.

 

He shook his head and pushed her hand away, “It’s okay. Try to relax, EMS will be here momentarily.”

 

“Why did Annabel have to die?” Jenna wailed and then gasped and fell back, laying still. 

 

“No!” Reid choked up, patting her face lightly. Hotchner immediately started CPR to no avail. He persisted for several minutes then finally sighed and pulled back, letting her rest. As EMS finally arrived, Hotchner helped the distressed Reid to his feet and the two of them solemnly walked back to their SUV. 

 

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Muttli’s furious barking woke Melissa up and she took her iPhone from its cradle and pocketed it. She crept into the bathroom and armed herself with her largest hairbrush before stealthily heading down the stairs. It was just past one in the morning. Muttli wasn’t letting up. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she debated whether she should just confront the burglar or go release Muttli from his kennel first. The latter won out, and she made her way to the back room where the dog’s kennel was situated. As soon as he was out of it, he ran full tilt towards the front of the house, barking madly the entire way. 

 

She followed behind, brandishing her hairbrush and watched as Muttli attacked the front door, jumping and scratching. Melissa pulled her iPhone from her pocket and started dialing 9-1-1.

 

Her heart was in her throat as she waited that short few seconds for the call to connect. Just before the operator answered, the front door opened and Muttli went completely berserk. 

 

“Whoa! Whoa Whoa Whoa! Muttli! Down! Good boy! Geez!” Spencer Reid pushed the excited dog down to the floor and dropped his go bag. Melissa released the breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding and disconnected her call; put the phone back in her pocket, dropped her hairbrush and threw her arms around her husband all in one smooth motion.

 

“Sorry,” he said, waving his hand at Muttli, “about all this. We really need him to learn not to bark like that and wake everybody up. Are you okay?”

 

She laughed and kissed him deeply running her hands down his back and squeezing when she reached his butt. He groaned appreciatively under the kiss and pulled back.

 

“Welcome home,” she whispered suggestively, the tension of the past few moments completely dissipated.

 

“Missed me, did you?” he grinned. After securing Muttli back in his kennel, he took her hand and led her upstairs.

 

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	8. Chapter 8

 

He pushed Anna on the swing and stepped back, watching as she laughed delightedly and pumped her little legs furiously in an effort to go higher. Muttli raced around the swing set, back and forth at the same rate Anna was swinging. His cellphone beeped, indicating he had a text message. Reid sighed, hoping it wasn’t work with a new case and debated briefly not answering it. He lost the debate and a minute later, took the offending device from his pocket and swiped it on.

 

_Just have a few more errands to run for the party, won’t be long. Xoxo Mel._

 

He smiled and put the phone away, returning his attention to Anna and Muttli. They spent an hour in the park before heading back to the house, tired and hungry. Muttli wolfed down his supper, drained his water bowl and headed into his kennel to collapse into a nap. Anna laughed as she watched then climbed up into a kitchen chair. Spencer poured her a glass of milk and sat down at the table across from her.

 

“I’m sorry honey, I don’t know what your Mama has planned for dinner tonight. I know you’re probably hungry but I don’t wanna spoil your supper,” Reid told her, hoping the milk would keep her for a while.

 

Anna drank the milk and got up from the table to put the glass into the dishwasher. She hugged Spencer and told him she was going to go to the playroom to work on a picture until her mother got home.

 

In their small home office next to the kitchen, Reid sat down by the desk and pulled papers from his go bag. He had a report he needed to submit to Hotchner that he still hadn’t completed. Sighing, he rifled through files and photographs and paused when he got to the photo of four-year-old Annabel White. He stared long into the child’s eyes. 

 

“I’m sorry this happened to you and your mom. I hope you’re both at peace now.”

 

He was startled out of his thoughts by a touch on his shoulder and turned to face Melissa. 

 

“Spence? Are you all right?” She ran her hand up and down his arm sympathetically.

 

He rose from the chair and drew her into his arms, letting out a deep sigh.

 

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m good, thanks. It was just,” he paused, not wanting to divulge too much and adhering to their agreement to not let their work stress come home with them, “a tough case. Really hard to deal with the endgame.” He turned the photo over to hide it from Melissa; the last thing he wanted was for her to see a child had been part of the case. He kissed her thoroughly then caught his breath and spoke.

 

“Anna is looking for dinner. I wasn’t sure what the plans were so I didn’t let her have anything. Sorry.”

 

“It’s in the kitchen. I brought her home a pizza slice cause that’s her favourite. And I brought home Pad Thai for us.” She took his hand and led him back into the kitchen, stopping at the playroom door to call Anna for dinner.

 

“Mommy!” Anna squealed and raced to give her mother a hug. Her level of excitement went up when she recognised the box from her favourite pizza place and she hurried to wash her hands and sit at the dinner table.

 

After they ate, Melissa and Spencer shared a secret glance and he nodded. Melissa cleaned up the kitchen with Anna’s help, Spencer went to let Muttli out of his kennel and was surprised to find the dog was fast asleep inside and the kennel door was open.

 

He made his way back to the kitchen and asked, “Did you guys know Muttli’s in his kennel and the door is open?”

 

“Oh yeah,” Melissa started. “About that. Muttli hasn’t had an accident in the house for over a week now, Spence. I’ve left the kennel door open for him since we’ve had him while we’re home. He goes in there when he wants to sleep and not be disturbed. I think he might be ready for a test run on his own while we’re out for a bit. He’s almost ready to be given the run of the house.”

 

Reid’s eyebrows rose in surprise, then he relayed an observation from the previous night. “That’s probably true, Melissa. After all, he didn’t even pee in excitement when I got home last night like he usually does.”

 

Melissa smiled, “I think he’s almost ready to trust, Spence. Anyway,” she took Anna’s hand and directed her words to Anna, “Sweet Pea, will you come into the living room please?”

 

They walked together and sat on the sofa. Spencer sat down on Anna’s other side and Muttli put his paw up on Reid’s knee expectantly. Reid pushed him off, admonishing him,

 

“No dog on the furniture, Muttli, off!”

 

“Mommy?” Anna bent over to pet Muttli’s head.

 

“He’s too big to be on the sofa with us anymore, Anna.”

 

Muttli resigned himself to lying at Melissa’s feet. Anna climbed into Spencer’s lap who curled one arm around her and the other around Melissa.

 

“We have something important to talk about, Anna,” Melissa began. “But it’s a secret for now, okay? Can you keep a secret?”

 

Anna nodded solemnly.

 

“You know that Mommy and Daddy are having a party tomorrow night. Everybody from Daddy’s work is going to be there. Including their children.”

 

“Henry and Michael?” Anna asked. Melissa nodded.

 

“And this is why you have to keep the secret, okay?”

 

Again Anna nodded solemnly.

 

“Now, you know Mommy has a baby coming right?” Melissa put Anna’s hand on her belly. Anna nodded, excitedly this time. 

 

“Well at the party tomorrow, we will find out whether you’re having a sister or brother,” Melissa told her. Anna’s face glowed with happiness. “Or both,” Melissa said, and watched as Anna’s face furrowed in confusion.

 

“You can’t tell anyone yet, honey, but Mommy has two babies in here,” she patted Anna’s hand on her belly. “It could be two boys or two girls or one of each and we will find out tomorrow night. But Daddy and I wanted you to know first that there are two babies.”

 

Anna was ecstatic. 

 

“Two?” Anna held up two fingers as she asked “Two babies?!” Melissa nodded.

 

Her face lit up with excitement as she slid down off Spencer’s lap and stood in front of Melissa, bending down to kiss her belly repeatedly.

 

“A kiss for my sister!” Anna kissed Melissa’s belly. She moved a few inches to the right and kissed Melissa’s belly again, “And a kiss for my brother!”

 

Melissa laughed and Spencer spoke up, “But we won’t know until tomorrow if the babies are boys or girls, Anna.”

 

Anna fixed him with a look and laughed, “There’s a brother and a sister. I just know!”

 

Melissa leaned forward and hugged her and said, “We’ll know for sure tomorrow night, but remember, Sweetie, don’t say anything to anyone at school tomorrow okay?”

 

Anna nodded and putting her finger across her lips, said “Shhhhh, it’s a secret!”

 

“That’s our girl!” Spencer leaned forward and scooped her up in his arms.

 

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	9. Chapter 9

 

An enormous box sat in the middle of the Reid living room. Spencer had moved the coffee table and floor lamp into the office to make room for the box when the delivery truck had arrived with it early Friday morning. Now he was running late for work and hurried out the door after giving Melissa and Anna their good-bye hugs and kisses. Normally, he rode in with JJ, but she’d had an early appointment herself this morning and he’d told her he’d just drive himself into work. In the confusion, he left his go bag behind and was almost at FBI headquarters when he realised he’d left it at home.

 

He hurried into the elevator, rode up to the BAU level and rushed into the bullpen only to find it empty. Puzzled, he walked past Rossi’s empty office, and the vacant office that had belonged to Morgan. Its door was shut and locked and the blinds on the window were drawn. He continued on to Hotchner’s office, which was also devoid of people. Sighing, he made his way to Garcia’s office. Her door was closed, he knocked and opened it and found it to be empty too.

 

Turning, he walked back towards Hotchner’s office to the round table room. That door was also closed and he hesitated for just a second before opening it. The room was dark and he reached for the light switch, flipping on the lights and was suddenly engulfed by people. He laughed as he accepted hugs from Garcia, Rossi, JJ, Lewis and Hotchner. As he considered what to say, his voice caught as he recognised several other faces standing around the table. In quick succession, he was greeted and hugged by former agents Emily Prentiss, Derek Morgan, Kate Callahan and Alex Blake.

 

Garcia bustled about making sure everyone had a coffee or tea and made sure introductions were made as necessary. Reid graciously invited them all to the Reveal Party that evening. Hotchner sat back and allowed the festivities to continue for an hour or so then called for their attention. The four retired agents said their good-byes, expressing their intentions of attending the party later. Hotchner shut the door as they left and turned to the current team.

 

“I realise this was a particularly difficult case due to the fact that young children were involved. It was a tragic situation, innocent lives were lost, even the unsub was someone to sympathise with. Tests came back on those cupcakes by the way, they tested positive for high levels of arsenic. I spoke to Jenna White’s doctors. Her family doctor prescribed sleep aids for Jenna after Annabel first became sick. Obviously she was stressed by her daughter’s illness and the impact on their lives, but her psychologist didn’t think she was vengeful or suicidal. Though he also never saw her after Annabel died. At any rate, I’m sending you all home for the weekend, you all need time to decompress.” He paused to adopt a more light-hearted tone. “And I think there’s a party tonight or something too? I don’t expect to see anyone’s reports on this case until Tuesday. And I’ll see you all tonight. Dismissed. For now.”

 


End file.
